1 Jesus went to the synagogue again. A man was there who had a crippled hand. 2 Some of those there were watching Jesus to see if he would heal the man on the Sabbath, because they were looking for a reason to accuse him of breaking the law. 3 Jesus told the man with the crippled hand, “Come and stand here in front of everyone.”

4 “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil? Should you save life, or should you kill?” he asked them. But they didn't say a word.

5 He looked around at them in exasperation, very upset by their hard-hearted attitude. Then he told the man, “Hold out your hand.” The man held out his hand, and it was healed. 6 The Pharisees left, and immediately began plotting with Herod's party as to how they might kill Jesus.

7 Meanwhile Jesus returned to the Sea,* Of Galilee. and a large crowd followed him. They were from Galilee, Judea, 8 Jerusalem, Idumea, Transjordan, and from the regions of Tyre and Sidon. So many people came to see him because they'd heard all he was doing.

9 Jesus told his disciples to have a small boat ready in case the crowd crushed him, 10 because he had healed so many that all the sick people kept on pressing towards him so they could touch him. 11 Whenever the evil spirits saw him they would fall down in front of him and shout out, “You are the Son of God!” 12 But he commanded them not to reveal who he was.

13 Then Jesus went away to the hill country. He called those he wanted to be with him, and they came to him. 14 He chose twelve to be with him, and called them apostles. They were to be with him, and he would send them out to announce the good news, 15 and with the authority to drive out demons. 16 These are the twelve he chose: Simon (whom he called Peter), 17 James the son of Zebedee and his brother John (who he called Boanerges, meaning “sons of thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Revolutionary, 19 and Judas Iscariot (who betrayed him).

20 Jesus went home, but such a large crowd gathered again that he and his disciples didn't even have time to eat. 21 When Jesus' family† Literally, “those who were close to him.” heard about it, they came to take him away, saying, “He's lost his senses!” 22 But the religious leaders from Jerusalem said, “He's possessed by Beelzebub! It's by the ruler of demons that he's driving out demons!”

23 But Jesus called them over to him. Using illustrations‡ Or “parables,” meaning analogies, comparisons, illustrations. he asked them, “How can Satan throw out Satan? 24 A kingdom fighting itself can't continue. 25 A household that's divided is doomed. 26 If Satan is divided and fights against himself, he won't last long—he'll soon come to an end. 27 Clearly, if someone breaks into the house of a strong man and tries to take his things, he won't get far in his theft unless he ties up the strong man first.”

28 “I tell you the truth: all sins and blasphemies can be forgiven, 29 but if people blaspheme by rejecting the Holy Spirit they can never be forgiven, because they are guilty of an eternal sin.” 30 (Jesus said this§ Implied. because they said, “He has an evil spirit.”)

31 Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. They waited outside and sent him a message, asking him to come out. 32 The crowd that was sitting around him told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside asking for you.”

33 “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” he responded. 34 Looking around at all those sitting there in a circle, he said, “Here is my mother! Here are my brothers! 35 Whoever does what God wants, they are my brother, and sister, and mother.”